1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a replaceable ink cartridge, and more particularly to a replaceable ink cartridge to be replaceably connected to a recording head into which ink is supplied therefrom. Also, the present invention relates to a seal structure to seal openings of the replaceable ink cartridge, and more particularly to a seal structure with improved properties of sealing an ink outlet and an air communicating port of the replaceable ink cartridge.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, various kinds of recording apparatus for performing an image formation on a recording medium such as a sheet of recording paper, a piece of fabric, and a sheet of plastic material e.g., one used for overhead projector (generally called as a OHP sheet) have been proposed as in the form of mounting a recording head in the type of wire dot matrix recording, thermal recording, thermal transfer recording, ink jet recording, or the like. Among the conventional recording methods, the ink jet recording apparatus having a recording head in the type of performing ink jet method has been used as various kinds of recording (printing) system so as to being commercially available. In this case, the ink jet recording head should be constructed to meet the user""s demands of the mechanism, configuration, application and the like of the individual system.
The ink jet recording apparatus generally comprises: a carriage for carrying a recording means (i.e., a recording head) and an ink tank; a transfer means for transferring a recording medium (e.g., a sheet of recording paper); and a control means for controlling the drive of these means. In the ink jet recording apparatus, the ink jet recording head performs its serial scanning movement (i.e., the head scans over a surface of the recording head sequentially) along the direction (main-scanning direction) perpendicular to the direction (sub-scanning direction) of transmitting the recording medium for ejecting ink droplets from a plurality of ejection orifices, while the recording medium is intermittently shifted at a distance corresponding to a recording width of the recording medium. The process of ink jet recording is characterized by ejecting ink droplets on the recording medium in accordance with the recording signals, so that it has been widely applied in various systems as a noiseless recording process with an inexpensive running cost. By using the recording head comprising a plurality of ink-ejecting nozzles linearly arranged in the sub-scanning direction, an image having a width thereof corresponding to the number of the nozzles can be recorded by a single scanning movement of the recording head. Consequently, the high-speed recording movement can be attained.
In the case of an ink jet recording apparatus adaptable to a full color image formation, furthermore, each of recording heads corresponding to several colors ejects a color ink droplets, so that each of all colors is obtainable by placing ink droplets one upon another. Generally, three or four recording heads with ink tanks corresponding to three primary colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) and a color of black (B) are required for recording the color image. In recent years, an ink jet recording apparatus that carries recording heads corresponding to these three or four colors has been practically used for full color image formation.
Furthermore, the ink jet recording apparatus as mentioned above can be constructed with a relatively easily manner so as to fit to the process of recording a larger sized image such as a A1 sized one. For recording a A1 sized color image, the recording apparatus has been practically provided so as to be able to connect with an image reader for making a copy of original. This kind of the apparatus is provided as, for example a plotter such as an output printer of computer-aided design (CAD) system. On the other hand, diversified demands of recording images on various kinds of recording medium have been increased. For example, a demand of recording an image on the OHP sheet by the ink jet recording apparatus has been increased because the OHP sheet can be used in a system of projecting the image for giving a presentation in a lecture, a conference, a meeting, or the like. For a request to the above demand, another kind of the ink jet recording apparatus has been developed and provided in practical use. That is, this recording apparatus is constructed to perform an excellent image formation without depending on a result of selecting and using one of various recording media having different properties of absorbing ink.
Accordingly, the aforementioned ink jet recording apparatus has been regarded as an excellent recording means and required as useful in widely distributed industrial fields, for example apparel and textile industries. Furthermore, there is a demand of providing a further improved qualities of images in these fields.
In an ink jet recording head (hereafter, also referred as a recording head) to be installed on the ink jet recording apparatus, by the way, means for generating energy required for ejecting ink can be exemplified by a recording element of the type having an electromechanical transducer such as a piezo element or the like used therefor, and a recording element of the type adapted to heat liquid with the aid of an electrothermal converting element including a heat generating resistor.
Among various kinds of recording heads, a recording head of the type adapted to eject liquid therefrom by utilizing thermal energy makes it possible to perform a recording operation with a high degree of resolution because a plurality of liquid ejection ports can be arranged on the recording head at a high density.
By the way, there are several types of the characteristic configuration for supplying ink to the aforementioned recording head, such as one connecting the recording head with the ink tank by means of a flexible tube, one directly connecting them as an integrated unit to be replaceably installed on the recording apparatus, and one removable connecting them each other. Especially in the recent years, the number of the recording apparatuses using the type of removable connecting the recording head and the ink tank to form a unit has been increased.
An replaceable ink cartridge to be removably connected with the recording head to form such unit comprises a main body made of a plastic material or the like on which an ink outlet and an air communicating port are formed. The ink outlet is for supplying an ink to the recording head while the air communicating port is for communicating with the open air. For the purpose of its physical distribution, these openings are sealed up with a seal member after filling the body with ink to prevent an ink leakage from the body under the changeable environmental conditions such as, a physical vibration, a surrounding temperature and an atmospheric pressure. At the time of using the ink cartridge, the seal member is peeled off. At this moment, furthermore, the seal member receives a tension and a shear stress, so that the seal member should be made of a proof material with respect to such forces, such as a flexible material, for example an aluminum laminate resin formed by laminating an aluminum thin film and a resin material.
By the way, it is noted that the ink outlet and the air communicating port are sealed by a single piece of the seal member from the point of view that the seal member should be easily peeled off from these openings.
Mostly, the replaceable ink cartridge as described above is constructed so as to keep ink in an ink absorber being installed in the ink cartridge""s body. In this case, in addition, the ink absorber occupies a predetermined space of an interior of the body to make a concentration of ink around the ink outlet for easily providing the ink to the recording head and also to avoid a concentration of ink to the air communicating port.
In some instances, conventionally, the ink outlet can be sealed off at first when the user pulls an end of the seal member toward a certain direction. When the ink outlet is opened at first prior to open the air communicating port, a certain amount of ink scatters in all directions at an inner pressure of the cartridge which is higher than an atmospheric pressure by a change in temperature and atmospheric condition. As a consequence, the scattered ink stains the user""s hands and clothes. Furthermore, in the case that a gaseous body such as air is sealed up hermetically with ink in the ink cartridge, the above problem is more serious because there is the possibility that ink scatters from the ink outlet in all directions at an increased inner pressure of the cartridge occurred by swelling the gaseous body.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a replaceable ink cartridge with a high degree of reliability, without causing a scattering of ink from an ink outlet at the time of sealing off and a leak of ink therefrom during physical distribution.
Another object of the present invention is to provide: a replaceable ink cartridge having an ink outlet and an air communicating port which are sealed by a piece of seal member; and a package in which the replaceable ink cartridge is packed for the purpose of storage or transportation. In this case, the replaceable ink cartridge is constructed so as to seal off the air communicating port at first at the time of pulling the seal member out from the cartridge.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a replaceable ink cartridge for supplying ink to a recording means for recording an image on a recording medium. In this case, the ink cartridge can be removably connected with the recording head. Besides, the ink cartridge comprises an enclosure for storing ink; an ink outlet and an air communicating port, both formed on the enclosure; an ink outlet peripheral portion formed around the ink outlet; and an air communicating port peripheral portion formed around the air communicating port. Under the unused condition, furthermore, the ink cartridge further comprises a seal member for sealing the peripheral portions around the ink outlet and the air communicating port. The ink cartridge is constructed so as to peel the seal member from the both peripheral portions around the ink outlet and the air communicating port in a manner that the air communicating port is opened at first and then the ink outlet is opened next.
Still a further object of the invention is to provide a seal structure for a replaceable ink cartridge for supplying ink to a recording means for recording an image on a recording medium. In this case, the ink cartridge can be removably connected with the recording head. The ink cartridge comprises: an enclosure for storing ink; an ink outlet and an air communicating port, formed on the enclosure; an ink outlet peripheral portion formed around the ink outlet; and an air communicating port peripheral portion formed around the air communicating port. Furthermore, the sealing structure comprises: a first seal portion for sealing an opening of the ink outlet; a second seal portion for sealing an opening of the air communicating port; and a handling portion which tends to provide a peel force thereof to the first seal portion at first rather than the second seal portion.
An even further object of this invention is to provide a replaceable ink cartridge having an ink outlet and an air communicating port on an enclosure, which is constructed so as to seal peripheral portions of the ink outlet and an air communicating port by removably bring a piece of seal member into absolute contact with these peripheral portions. In this case, the peripheral portions of the ink outlet and an air communicating port are constructed so as to peel the seal member from these peripheral portions in a manner that the air communicating port is opened at first and then the ink outlet is opened next when the seal member is pulled off in the predetermined direction.
In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a replaceable ink cartridge to be removably connected with a recording means, for supplying ink into the recording means for recording an image on a recording medium, having an ink cartridge body for storing ink; an ink outlet and an air communicating port formed on the ink cartridge body; an ink outlet peripheral portion formed around the ink outlet; and an air communicating port peripheral portion formed around the air communicating port, the replaceable ink cartridge comprising:
a seal member for removably sealing the ink outlet peripheral portion and the air communicating port peripheral portion when the replaceable ink cartridge is being out of use, and
a structure which is provided so as to open the air communicating port prior to open the ink outlet at the time of stripping off the seal member from the ink outlet peripheral portion and the air communicating port peripheral portion.
A start position to strip the seal member from the air communicating port peripheral portion may be in front of a start position to strip the seal member from the ink outlet peripheral portion in a direction of striping the seal member.
The air communicating port peripheral portion may have a high facility in stripping the seal member compared with that of the ink outlet peripheral portion in a predetermined direction of striping the seal member.
An outer edge of the air communicating port peripheral portion may be in front of an outer edge of the ink outlet peripheral portion in an predetermined direction of striping the seal member.
An inner edge of the air communicating port peripheral portion may be in front of an inner edge of the ink outlet peripheral portion in a predetermined direction of striping the seal member.
The seal member may have a point of applying a stripping force in a region near the air communicating port than the ink outlet when the seal member is stripped off.
An inner diameter or a maximum inner width of the ink outlet peripheral portion may be smaller than that of an inner diameter or a maximum inner width of the ink outlet peripheral portion.
A thickness of the ink outlet peripheral portion may be larger than a thickness of the air communicating peripheral portion.
A strip resist ability between an opening of the air communicating port and the seal member may be smaller than a strip resist ability between an opening of the ink outlet and the seal member.
The ink cartridge body may be packed in a package.
In a second aspect of the present inventions there is provided a seal structure for removably sealing an ink outlet peripheral portion and an air communicating port peripheral portion of a replaceable ink cartridge to be removably connected with a recording means, for supplying ink into the recording means for recording an image on a recording medium, the replaceable ink cartridge having an ink cartridge body for storing the ink; an ink outlet and an air communicating port formed on the ink cartridge body; the ink outlet peripheral portion formed around the ink outlet; and the air communicating port peripheral portion formed around the air communicating port, the seal structure comprising:
a seal portion for sealing an opening of the ink outlet and an opening of the air communicating port by sticking on the ink outlet peripheral portion and the air communicating port peripheral portion; and
a handling portion for peeling off the seal structure, wherein
the seal portion of the seal structure has a first seal portion for sealing the opening of the ink outlet; and a second seal portion for sealing the opening of the air communicating port, and
the handling portion is constituted so as to easily transfer a force of peeling the sealing structure to be generated by the handling portion to the second seal portion that seals the opening of the air communication port rather than the first seal portion that seals the opening of the ink outlet.
A length between the second seal portion and the handling portion may be shorter than a length between the first seal portion and the handling portion in the sealing structure.
The seal structure may be packed in a package in a condition that the seal structure is being fixed on the replaceable ink cartridge.
In a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a replaceable ink cartridge having an ink outlet and an air communicating port in an ink cartridge body with a seal member removably sealing on both peripheral portions of the ink outlet and the air communicating port, wherein
the peripheral portions of the ink outlet and the air communicating port are constructed so as to strip the seal member from the air communicating port prior to strip the seal member from the ink outlet in a direction of striping the seal member.
A start of peeling the seal member from the peripheral portion around the air communicating port may be prior to a start of peeling the seal member from the peripheral portion around the ink outlet.
A start position to strip the seal member from the peripheral portion around the air communicating port may be in front of a start position to strip the seal member from the peripheral portion around the ink outlet in a direction of striping the seal member.
The peripheral portion around the air communicating port may be in a shape of easily stripping off the seal member compared with the peripheral portion around the ink outlet in a predetermined direction of striping the seal member.
An outer edge of the peripheral portion around the air communicating port may be in front of an outer edge of the peripheral portion around the ink outlet in a predetermined direction of striping the seal member.
An inner edge of the peripheral portion around the air communicating port may be in front of an inner edge of the peripheral portion around the ink outlet in a predetermined direction of striping the seal member.
The seal member having an elongated portion may be connected with a portion of a package for packing the ink cartridge body, and the elongated portion and the package are restricted in a predetermined direction of striping the seal member when the package is opened.
The above and other objects, effects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.